Section 106-J:4 Program Established.
I. The department shall establish an alert program for missing persons with a developmental disability and missing senior citizens.
II. (a) When a local law enforcement agency receives notice that a senior citizen is missing, the agency shall require the senior citizen's family or legal guardian to provide information relative to the senior citizen's impaired mental condition. The local law enforcement agency shall follow a procedure to verify that the senior citizen is missing and has an impaired mental condition. Once the local law enforcement agency verifies that the senior citizen is missing and has a verified impaired mental condition, the local law enforcement agency shall notify the department.
(b) When a local law enforcement agency receives notice that a person with developmental disabilities is missing, the agency shall require the family, legal guardian, or service provider of the missing person with developmental disabilities to provide information relative to the person's developmental disability. The local law enforcement agency shall follow a procedure to verify the person is missing and has a developmental disability. Once the local law enforcement agency verifies the person with developmental disabilities is missing, the local law enforcement agency shall notify the department.
III. When notified by a local law enforcement agency that a senior citizen is missing and has a verified impaired mental condition or a person with developmental disabilities is missing, the department shall confirm the accuracy of the information and then issue an alert. The alert shall be sent to designated media outlets in New Hampshire. Participating radio stations, television stations, and other media outlets may issue the alert at designated intervals. The alert shall include all appropriate information from the local law enforcement agency that may assist in the safe recovery of the missing senior citizen or missing person with developmental disabilities and a statement instructing anyone with information related to the missing senior citizen or missing person with developmental disabilities to contact his or her local law enforcement agency.
IV. The alert shall be cancelled upon notification to the department that the missing senior citizen or missing person with developmental disabilities has been found or at the end of the notification period, whichever occurs first. A local law enforcement agency that locates a missing senior citizen or missing person with developmental disabilities who is the subject of an alert shall notify the department as soon as possible that the missing senior citizen or missing person with developmental disabilities has been located.
Source. 2009, 279:3, eff. July 1, 2010.